Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Noughties Celebrity Favourite Closes

Kitson, the LA-based boutique chain beloved of the actresses and reality television stars of the Noughties, is closing down. The company confirmed that it will shutter all 17 of its stores across the US, as well as its website, in the coming weeks.


Opened in 2000, the store quickly garnered a reputation as the go-to boutique for young celebrities including Paris and Nicky Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba - and later the Kardashians and stars of shows like The Hills. Kitson built a relationship with several local labels, including the rising star of the LA scene, Juicy Couture - a brand that was then at the vanguard of the celebrity product placement that seems so commonplace now - and its trademark blue bags became as ubiquitous in paparazzi pictures of the time as handbag dogs and Starbucks frappuccinos.


The store's star began to wane in recent years, and the company sought new finance in 2013, receiving a $15-million credit line from Salus Capital Partners,WWD reports. In June of this year, Spencer Spirit Holdings invested $5 million to help the retailer stave off bankruptcy, it seems to little avail.

The retailer said this week that it is already "in discussions" with several "interested parties" in the hope of agreeing a "transaction that preserves the iconic brand that loyal consumers have come to love and respect", Racked reports. So all may not be lost for the company's fans.

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